This is just a quick blog post to say I'm going to try blogging again...
Everytime I would think about writing a new entry, one of three things would happen;
1. Realized that I had nothing to blog about
2. Become lazy as a koala in a coma
3. Found the topic to be ranting philosophical poppy-cock!
Of course all of these things are a load of hooey as you can blog about any funny thing that happened in your day, if not a little embellished, I've never met a koala in a coma they could be a barrel of fun, and a little in depth hooey rant never hurt anyone...So!
mustard up some courage and relish in the next few paragraphs while we play ketchup! (wtf?)
I'm sitting in our quaint little hovel in Melbourne, listening to the sound of the Australian Gran Prix going on two suburbs away. Noisy. Take a hive of bees, all with jet engines propelling them, and poke them with a stick. That is what we listen to for 8 hours a day this weekend. I have never, and most likely will never, be a fan of car racing. I appreciate hot dogs, red necks and feel a shred of excitement knowing that a land vehicle can corner turns at 280km+, but to watch this in a circular pattern for 4 days in a row (at $300 a day) is way beyond my comprehension. Gran Prieze get over soon.
The sky is gray as autumn has descended on this part of Australia, the sun makes feeble attempts at this point, but the city has grown quite complacent with drizzle and overcast. Even so the temperature tends to peter our at a breezy 20c, and I'm happy as long as I can leave the house without a head to toe bundle-up. Apparently, this has been 'the worst' summer in melbourne for a very long time. Record rainfall, record low of sunshine hours, floods up north and in the surrounding area...a real home run as far as years to visit. I bemoan not though, as I have fully avoided a Canadian winter and have a very exciting move on the horizon!!
If you like, grab a map of Australia (yah right...open it on google), and note melbourne on the south-east coast. Tall buildings, trendy metropolis, good coffee & bad beaches. Now run your gaze way over to the west coast and you'll see Perth, a city I remember flying over coming from southeast asia and saying 'oh! almost there'. Negative. It's claim to fame is the most isolated major city in the world, and runs about 3 hours flight from melbourne. It'll be very exciting to finally see some more of australia, especially if the sun and surf is as good as the grapevine suggests. Chris, Emily, Patty and myself are heading out within the month, saying goodbye to 8 months of melbourne and onto a new, hopefully sunnier, adventure. As far as leaving melbourne goes, it'll be sad to say goodbye to basically the only thing I know in Oz, but having friends right there with you is paramount...no solo creeping finally!
What else? Emily went back to America for two weeks, and I must say, despite my best efforts, I missed a girl. My backpack has been hiding under the bed for quite a few months, traded in for a little more organized lifestyle...not less crazy!...just organized. We went down to a little hole in the wall called philip island awhile back, buddied up with some Koalas and Roos, watched these little penguins walk back to their little penguin holes, and ate pizza on the beach. Fair warning, the 'Penguin Parade' penguins are just little fellas, not those awesome ones from march of the penguins or Batman Returns. It was a very sightseeing/old fogey kind of tour (so we fit in perfect) but it was really good to see some wildlife...imagine coming to Canada for a year and not seeing a beaver or moose! You would never live it down! There are pictures on facebook...note the chemistry between Emily and the Emus as long lost friends.... I'd say my favorite was a 400lb kangaroo with biceps the size of texas. Do not mess with these silly animals, they will punch the daylights out of you! We also hit the great ocean road about 3 weeks ago and as the name entails....it was on the ocean, very road like, and we had a great time. Good pictures, nice weekend and 6 out of the 12 apostles that are left are stunning.
The last post was a piss pot of a few different topics, but lack of work was a prevalent topic. I think if you ask any backpacker, young worker or student they will all agree that australia, as they come, is a fairly pricey affair. This can get in the way of really important priorities like slabs of beer, lunch and activities. I hate to say it, but money is a major factor when hammering out any kind of trail, especially down under, mate. Luckily, a break came last month when Chris walked in offered up the chance to join him traffic controlling. You've all seen these guys. Stop/slow sign waving around, bright vest, standing around a hole in the road doing nothing. That's the long and short of it, but to maintain face I will say it's a harrowing career choice with limitless hazards presenting themselves each day, with only your pylons and wits to protect you from the constant flow high speed vehicles. And crosswords. Lots of crosswords.
That being said, the pay is really welcome change from the coins of hospitality, although I'm still doing the restaurant gig to grease the wheels before the move...job hunting is hideous, and whatever buffer of cash I have to get me through it will be more than welcome! Here's a few tips for day 1 off the plane in Oz
1. Don't stay in a hostel more than a month or work for a room!!
- The amount of money you spend on a shared dorm comes uncomfortably close to the amount you can pay for a decent share house or apartment, you just have to constantly be on the lookout. As well, the amount of money you save by working at the hostel doesn't equal the amount of money you'll make working a regular job.
2. Know People!
- I know this one sounds silly, but it's huge. Know at least 2 or 3 people before you get here if you can, meet their friends and meet their friends friends. The more people you know, the more fun you'll have and the more accommodation and work opportunities pop up!
3. Think of the amount of money you need, then double it.
- Maybe not double it, but if I was coming to australia from home and working out a figure, it would be no less than 8000$ dollars. That way you can do all the major attractions, tours, relax THEN run out of money and start working. Tourist first, resident after. $8 dollar pints, $400 tours, $60 day rent-a-cars. Not prices for the feint of wallet.
4. Decide on a 2nd year VERY early
- Between the ages of 18 and 30, most developed nations can get a one year work visa in australia. If you do agriculture work (cowboy, eggplant picker, human fence etc) for 3 months, you qualify for a second year. I've come to terms with the fact that I won't be doing another working holiday visa in Oz, because I didn't do this 3 month work, but years from now I might kick myself in the butt for not biting the bullet and picking some goddamn apples for low wages and getting a second year in this beautiful country. Sort it early!
I've been a an absolute bum on the Blog, and hope to mend my ways for the remaining time here, for myself and anyone reading it, good night human beings, whatever planet your on!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
On having the right attitude...
The mind of man is capable of anything - because everything is in it, all the past as well as all the future
-Heart of Darkness
I very recently had chat about about having the right attitude. You can sift through mounds of ostentatious self help books, breathe methodically in a yoga class or watch birds alight on lilac bushes while listening to orca sounds over a synthesizer, but real peace comes from a place very deep within. Whether that deep place can be found in the soul, chi, cortex...whatever, that's where it comes from, within. I tend to think of myself as a very positive person, try to greet each day with no hangups from the previous one and ultimate exhilaration for the one in front of me. It's not always the case though. Most days I wake up and feel like the world can be conquered, not in a Alexander or Genghis Khan kind of way, but in limitless possibilities respect. The countries I want to visit, the careers I want to pursue, the languages to be learned and all the friends to make, these are what make my blood flow. Sometimes in the thrill of anticipating your future though, you find that the present has formed a smothering blanket of 'I want' & "I wills' around you. Some people go through a mid life crisis, maybe around 40 or 45. Perhaps I'm going through a mid life visa crisis, as February marks 6 months in Australia. Let me lament for a moment until I get back to the main point of having the right attitude.
SE Asia was an unreal experience, the smells, the sights, the people I met and all the things to be learned. I have told a few people that if I was to do it again, perhaps I wouldn't constantly have a drink in my hand and take a few days to go through some organized tours. Perhaps kayaking, some rock climbing, hot springs (although these would have been suicide in that heat). Whatever. You get my point, activities. This is one of those pseudo-regrets where you say you would do it differently, but in fact would change nothing given the opportunity again. Of course hind-sight is always 20/20, but I usually find that to be synonymous with 'a learning experience', which it was.
Australia is different though. I showed up here unannounced, unplanned and under-financed. By the time I hit Australian soil my bank account was empty, my credit card was near to maxed out, I had lost 20 pounds from sweaty traveling and it was COLD. I stayed in a hostel for 3 months trying to figure where to live, how to make money and who to make friends with. It wasn't bad by any means, but I lost the glamour of new, shiny and affordable backpacking. For awhile, I worked two jobs with barely time for a shit in between shifts, and it was terrible, obviously, but I made the cash I desperately needed. I realized that one of the jobs, despite the incredible social scene, just wasn't worth my bang for it's buck, so (as my version goes) just kind of phased out. I worked casually at the other job up until Christmas, barely scraping more than 25 hours a week. I won't bore you with figures, but deducting one night out, rent and food there is little to throw at the ever amassing credit card, with less than coins going into a saving account.
So Christmas rolls around, and this job is shut for three weeks. This is where a mature, savvy and accountable human being would have pursued other options for not only income, but for the sheer sake of not wasting time. But years of hospitality work, a master card safety net and a lack of temperance has turned me into the antithesis of the formerly mentioned traits. Christmas was filled with all the normalities you would expect at that time of year, minus the snow of course. Good cheer, flowing booze, turkey and people you care about. It was a Christmas to be remembered, if not wholly so (chug chug). I worked New Years Eve at a massively packed and beautiful venue, making enough scratch to at least buy the days bread. The day after, I booked a flight up to the Whitsundays to rendezvous with the Christmas crew, and spared no expense. Or MasterCard didn't anyways. As some of you have probably seen the pictures, I regret nothing. The immeasurable beauty of that part of Australia hurts to look at, and being there with good friends made it all the more memorable.
Now, however, back in Melbourne at the 25 hours/week job, with an almost insurmountable amount of debt accumulated, a dark part of this nomad life starts to eclipse that conquerir le monde attitude. But this is where the right attitude has never been more important. Some people think about it in different ways, and I'm always a culprit for saying 'It could be worse'. This idiomatic mantra may seem harmless, but in looking at the bottom you tend to forget to look up. Today, for instance, it is 32 degrees out. I have recently moved into a house with cheaper rent, no spiders and amazing friends. I have parents who dish out tough love, but never disparaging criticism and friends who I'll speak to no more than 3 or 4 times in a year, but will greet me back like no time has passed (I hope anyway!)
In the conversation about having the right attitude, I was told I'm regretting the things that haven't happened yet, which is stupid. I agree.
*I know this sounds like a lot of self indulged horse shit, but it's not just about being broke or anxious or far from home. Take whatever is bothering you, or ruining you, and just flip it on it's head. If school isn't what you thought it would be, chuck it and move somewhere exotic. If your not making enough money, spend less, or find a way to make more. If you don't know what to do with your life, try heaps of different things, get a tattoo or join a racquet ball league. Don't let things that won't matter 15 years from now ruin this moment, and I promise I will try and do the same. thanks.
-Heart of Darkness
I very recently had chat about about having the right attitude. You can sift through mounds of ostentatious self help books, breathe methodically in a yoga class or watch birds alight on lilac bushes while listening to orca sounds over a synthesizer, but real peace comes from a place very deep within. Whether that deep place can be found in the soul, chi, cortex...whatever, that's where it comes from, within. I tend to think of myself as a very positive person, try to greet each day with no hangups from the previous one and ultimate exhilaration for the one in front of me. It's not always the case though. Most days I wake up and feel like the world can be conquered, not in a Alexander or Genghis Khan kind of way, but in limitless possibilities respect. The countries I want to visit, the careers I want to pursue, the languages to be learned and all the friends to make, these are what make my blood flow. Sometimes in the thrill of anticipating your future though, you find that the present has formed a smothering blanket of 'I want' & "I wills' around you. Some people go through a mid life crisis, maybe around 40 or 45. Perhaps I'm going through a mid life visa crisis, as February marks 6 months in Australia. Let me lament for a moment until I get back to the main point of having the right attitude.
SE Asia was an unreal experience, the smells, the sights, the people I met and all the things to be learned. I have told a few people that if I was to do it again, perhaps I wouldn't constantly have a drink in my hand and take a few days to go through some organized tours. Perhaps kayaking, some rock climbing, hot springs (although these would have been suicide in that heat). Whatever. You get my point, activities. This is one of those pseudo-regrets where you say you would do it differently, but in fact would change nothing given the opportunity again. Of course hind-sight is always 20/20, but I usually find that to be synonymous with 'a learning experience', which it was.
Australia is different though. I showed up here unannounced, unplanned and under-financed. By the time I hit Australian soil my bank account was empty, my credit card was near to maxed out, I had lost 20 pounds from sweaty traveling and it was COLD. I stayed in a hostel for 3 months trying to figure where to live, how to make money and who to make friends with. It wasn't bad by any means, but I lost the glamour of new, shiny and affordable backpacking. For awhile, I worked two jobs with barely time for a shit in between shifts, and it was terrible, obviously, but I made the cash I desperately needed. I realized that one of the jobs, despite the incredible social scene, just wasn't worth my bang for it's buck, so (as my version goes) just kind of phased out. I worked casually at the other job up until Christmas, barely scraping more than 25 hours a week. I won't bore you with figures, but deducting one night out, rent and food there is little to throw at the ever amassing credit card, with less than coins going into a saving account.
So Christmas rolls around, and this job is shut for three weeks. This is where a mature, savvy and accountable human being would have pursued other options for not only income, but for the sheer sake of not wasting time. But years of hospitality work, a master card safety net and a lack of temperance has turned me into the antithesis of the formerly mentioned traits. Christmas was filled with all the normalities you would expect at that time of year, minus the snow of course. Good cheer, flowing booze, turkey and people you care about. It was a Christmas to be remembered, if not wholly so (chug chug). I worked New Years Eve at a massively packed and beautiful venue, making enough scratch to at least buy the days bread. The day after, I booked a flight up to the Whitsundays to rendezvous with the Christmas crew, and spared no expense. Or MasterCard didn't anyways. As some of you have probably seen the pictures, I regret nothing. The immeasurable beauty of that part of Australia hurts to look at, and being there with good friends made it all the more memorable.
Now, however, back in Melbourne at the 25 hours/week job, with an almost insurmountable amount of debt accumulated, a dark part of this nomad life starts to eclipse that conquerir le monde attitude. But this is where the right attitude has never been more important. Some people think about it in different ways, and I'm always a culprit for saying 'It could be worse'. This idiomatic mantra may seem harmless, but in looking at the bottom you tend to forget to look up. Today, for instance, it is 32 degrees out. I have recently moved into a house with cheaper rent, no spiders and amazing friends. I have parents who dish out tough love, but never disparaging criticism and friends who I'll speak to no more than 3 or 4 times in a year, but will greet me back like no time has passed (I hope anyway!)
In the conversation about having the right attitude, I was told I'm regretting the things that haven't happened yet, which is stupid. I agree.
*I know this sounds like a lot of self indulged horse shit, but it's not just about being broke or anxious or far from home. Take whatever is bothering you, or ruining you, and just flip it on it's head. If school isn't what you thought it would be, chuck it and move somewhere exotic. If your not making enough money, spend less, or find a way to make more. If you don't know what to do with your life, try heaps of different things, get a tattoo or join a racquet ball league. Don't let things that won't matter 15 years from now ruin this moment, and I promise I will try and do the same. thanks.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Time
I think time must be one of the largest jokes the universe ever played on us. There are so many philosophies, mentalities, songs, poems, physics lessons, methods of measuring...phrases...
It's about time
One day at a time
Time will only tell
I don't have time
Time waits for no man
Time flies
Time and time again...
and the funny thing is there all true because the word time is such an arbitrary, multi faceted way of labeling something we all perceive differently. A person with a terminal diagnosis might say 'how much time do I have?' or 'it's my time'. I might ask 'do I have time for a cigarette' or say 'time to quit'. Is it all the same time? Physics aside, time seems to run in a linear path, for most of us who aren't higher than a koala on eucalyptus leaves. We 'make time' or look back on 'lost time', we can 'time things perfectly' or 'not be on time' at all. Because time is a really a way of neatly placing the activities we engage in a box, we can introduce prepositions like 'I've been here before' or 'we'll talk about it later, because now is not the time'. Boring endeavours seem to slow down time. Exciting ones never last long enough. That seems a bit unfair. The thing is, as fickle as a word it seems, time seems to be the most important concept of all...time. If we 'don't make good use of our time' we're inefficient. If we 'just can't find the time' we're too busy. You can't ignore time. Then again you can't really focus on it for very long with any real conviction, because time on it's own is nothing. There are bunches of nerves in your brain that tell you what time you need to eat, what time you need to sleep, what light is refracting from the digital clock onto your retinas telling you what time of day it is. Is that time? It takes time to fall in love. Sometimes it doesn't. Ants can't tell time. But they have a very strict schedule. It takes time to memorize something. It seems like it takes less time to forget it. You can have 'the time of your life' or you can have 'the worst time ever'. You can say 'remember that time...' or it's time to move on' or it's 'timeless' or it's 'time we got rid of that'. Time speeds up as you get older (does that mean time slows down as you get younger?). Or maybe there are just more memories to condense so it seems that way. You can't just pluck a relative moment from your short stock of film reel, you have to sift through a warehouse of dusty life snapshots. each time realizing how many more you've accumulated. Maybe. Time can make you really sad. Or it can make you really happy. I get sad when I look back on 'the good times' but i'm ecstatic about the 'times ahead'. I wish there was an unlimited lifetime to do everything possible. There isn't, but that's what makes it so special. 'My time is precious'. So yours. I've said time 52 times. Time to go to bed.
It's about time
One day at a time
Time will only tell
I don't have time
Time waits for no man
Time flies
Time and time again...
and the funny thing is there all true because the word time is such an arbitrary, multi faceted way of labeling something we all perceive differently. A person with a terminal diagnosis might say 'how much time do I have?' or 'it's my time'. I might ask 'do I have time for a cigarette' or say 'time to quit'. Is it all the same time? Physics aside, time seems to run in a linear path, for most of us who aren't higher than a koala on eucalyptus leaves. We 'make time' or look back on 'lost time', we can 'time things perfectly' or 'not be on time' at all. Because time is a really a way of neatly placing the activities we engage in a box, we can introduce prepositions like 'I've been here before' or 'we'll talk about it later, because now is not the time'. Boring endeavours seem to slow down time. Exciting ones never last long enough. That seems a bit unfair. The thing is, as fickle as a word it seems, time seems to be the most important concept of all...time. If we 'don't make good use of our time' we're inefficient. If we 'just can't find the time' we're too busy. You can't ignore time. Then again you can't really focus on it for very long with any real conviction, because time on it's own is nothing. There are bunches of nerves in your brain that tell you what time you need to eat, what time you need to sleep, what light is refracting from the digital clock onto your retinas telling you what time of day it is. Is that time? It takes time to fall in love. Sometimes it doesn't. Ants can't tell time. But they have a very strict schedule. It takes time to memorize something. It seems like it takes less time to forget it. You can have 'the time of your life' or you can have 'the worst time ever'. You can say 'remember that time...' or it's time to move on' or it's 'timeless' or it's 'time we got rid of that'. Time speeds up as you get older (does that mean time slows down as you get younger?). Or maybe there are just more memories to condense so it seems that way. You can't just pluck a relative moment from your short stock of film reel, you have to sift through a warehouse of dusty life snapshots. each time realizing how many more you've accumulated. Maybe. Time can make you really sad. Or it can make you really happy. I get sad when I look back on 'the good times' but i'm ecstatic about the 'times ahead'. I wish there was an unlimited lifetime to do everything possible. There isn't, but that's what makes it so special. 'My time is precious'. So yours. I've said time 52 times. Time to go to bed.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Life 2.0
This will most likely be the last the post on this blog, as the riveting adventures of trans-national travel and ludicrous party injuries have come to end...for the time being.
I won't meander on with all the cool things about being down under, mostly because I haven't experienced them yet. It is a general requirement to show up with your work visa having some funds to carry you through your job search and accommodation. Of course, after some heavy travelling and spending throughout the summer, without even a solid plan to come to this continent, I showed up with zero dollars. A lot of living necessities have been propped up by MasterCard, but any form of secondary luxuries have pretty much been kai-boshed. This includes
Drinking alcohol
Eating anything fancier than a MacDonald's cheeseburger
Touring the city
Buying shirts that don't stink like the jungle
Laundry
Haircuts
etc
My initial plan was to roll into Melbourne, work mornings at a hostel for a free room, and jump behind a sweet bar for the nights. Good in theory, but there are about 2500 other backpackers with the exact same plan, so the positions tend to be grossly over-saturated. Luckily I hit the ground running and signed on with a marketing company within a couple days. The interview, people and pay structure were fantastic, but guess which component was just not going to work out...the WORK. It basically consisted of going door to door asking Australians if they wanted to switch to a specific energy company from the numerous retailers that flood the market. Some answers and reactions to give you a taste of how much I was enjoying this:
Now listen, you people come around here every day, leave me ALONE!
Piss off mate, I'm watching the news!
What do you want?....*4 minute scripted pitch*....No
Don't come any closer, I have a big dog
*4 minute scripted pitch* What are you selling? Vacuums?
Door slam x 100-200
You get the gist. For some reason I stuck with this torture for 5 days, at one point going about 300kms outside the city on a 'road trip' only to quit mid day. Needless to say, it didn't work out.
I figure people always need to be moving or at least doing something so they won't go mental. I am a huge advocate for sitting around watching whole seasons of shows with Doritos and a 2L of coca-cola, but those days should be far and few between. Without motion we tend to stagnate and have too much time for our thoughts to collect and form a giant pile of bullshit. This is what's currently happening to me.
I did manage to latch onto a bar tending gig in a cozy little western/eastern inspired restaurant so all is looking good. The next 3-4 months will hopefully be focused on recouping my massive travelling tab and getting to know Melbourne city, which is a wonderful place. Small town suburbs straddle a bustling inner city, augmented by miles of beach with about 200 million cafes, shops and restaurants. I must say it is difficult looking at summer time photos from back home, as it is 'see your breath weather' here....BUT, as soon as Canada turns back into winter jacket time, it will be kite boarding time here.
So, as you can see the adventures aside from the day to day life have come to a stand still, but join us next time for 'Down and out, Down Under....Life up the Australian Coast'
Thanks for reading everybody!
Josh Purdy
2010
I won't meander on with all the cool things about being down under, mostly because I haven't experienced them yet. It is a general requirement to show up with your work visa having some funds to carry you through your job search and accommodation. Of course, after some heavy travelling and spending throughout the summer, without even a solid plan to come to this continent, I showed up with zero dollars. A lot of living necessities have been propped up by MasterCard, but any form of secondary luxuries have pretty much been kai-boshed. This includes
Drinking alcohol
Eating anything fancier than a MacDonald's cheeseburger
Touring the city
Buying shirts that don't stink like the jungle
Laundry
Haircuts
etc
My initial plan was to roll into Melbourne, work mornings at a hostel for a free room, and jump behind a sweet bar for the nights. Good in theory, but there are about 2500 other backpackers with the exact same plan, so the positions tend to be grossly over-saturated. Luckily I hit the ground running and signed on with a marketing company within a couple days. The interview, people and pay structure were fantastic, but guess which component was just not going to work out...the WORK. It basically consisted of going door to door asking Australians if they wanted to switch to a specific energy company from the numerous retailers that flood the market. Some answers and reactions to give you a taste of how much I was enjoying this:
Now listen, you people come around here every day, leave me ALONE!
Piss off mate, I'm watching the news!
What do you want?....*4 minute scripted pitch*....No
Don't come any closer, I have a big dog
*4 minute scripted pitch* What are you selling? Vacuums?
Door slam x 100-200
You get the gist. For some reason I stuck with this torture for 5 days, at one point going about 300kms outside the city on a 'road trip' only to quit mid day. Needless to say, it didn't work out.
I figure people always need to be moving or at least doing something so they won't go mental. I am a huge advocate for sitting around watching whole seasons of shows with Doritos and a 2L of coca-cola, but those days should be far and few between. Without motion we tend to stagnate and have too much time for our thoughts to collect and form a giant pile of bullshit. This is what's currently happening to me.
I did manage to latch onto a bar tending gig in a cozy little western/eastern inspired restaurant so all is looking good. The next 3-4 months will hopefully be focused on recouping my massive travelling tab and getting to know Melbourne city, which is a wonderful place. Small town suburbs straddle a bustling inner city, augmented by miles of beach with about 200 million cafes, shops and restaurants. I must say it is difficult looking at summer time photos from back home, as it is 'see your breath weather' here....BUT, as soon as Canada turns back into winter jacket time, it will be kite boarding time here.
So, as you can see the adventures aside from the day to day life have come to a stand still, but join us next time for 'Down and out, Down Under....Life up the Australian Coast'
Thanks for reading everybody!
Josh Purdy
2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
ola earthlings
Hello everyone!
No, I'm am not dead, in a coma or forgotten how to use the internet. In all honesty, not too much exciting has happened in about 2 weeks+. Now I know that sounds crazy being around the other side of the world, and you make your own adventure blah blah blah but here's a quick cap of my last week in Bali.
After returning from the Gili Islands, a night where I proceeded to stay up all night for the sunrise (among other things), I was absolutely knackered out. No worries, says I, as I can nap on the boat ride back. False. There were literally times when I thought the bottom of the hull was going to crack in half off some of these waves. Other than not being able to nap, I found the 4 feet of air pretty exciting. Unfortunately there were a few passengers that didn't share these sentiments, and ended up puking in complimentary paper bags. It was pretty hideous, people retching like they were on the verge of death while everyone around him or her pretends nothing is happening. After getting off the boat, I made my way back to Kuta beach where I rented a surfboard and DVD player and did absolutely NOTHING for one whole week. It was by the far the loneliest, cheapest, soberest, cozy time I have had during this vacation, although I started to forget how to talk to humans and socialize.
The reason for this hermit-esque behaviour was the dwindling funds and overall fatigue from being a deadly party animal for 3 months straight. In a way, it was really nice just to hang out by myself, go over some things in my brain and watch 25 DVDs (i counted at the end). Also I went from a F- surfer to about D+. So there's that.
The last week in Bali was also a bit of a waiting game, as I put in the application for my Australian work visa on a friday, and didn't hear a peep from this certain company until wednesday. (do YOU want to go to Australia!?? Only 2 days processing, call us NOW!!!) So, near the end of my stint on this lovely, touristed island I prepared my flights into Australia, where I have made one of the biggest blunders of the vacation, which is saying a lot read: cracked head, crashed motorbike, smashed toe, budgeting etc
Follow me on this. There is the island Bali, which is in the country of Indonesia. Bali has an airport, a fairly prominent and busy one called Denpasar (code:DPS). Indonesia, the previosuly mentioned country, also has an island called Borneo, and on this island there is a town called Balikpapan, which also has an airport, albeit a much smaller and less used one (code:BPN). In all my wisdom I typed in 'Bali' for the departing flight, quickly selected the first airport that popped up and proceeded with the booking. Of course, when you book from a small, no name airport compared to a fairly moderate sized one, the price jumps astronomically. Picture flying to LA from Fredericton, instead of flying out of Montreal. Same same. So a flight that could have cost 350$ ending up being 730$ from one, tiny, idiotic, mentally challenged, ridiculous typo. Lesson learned? I hope so.
After sorting that out there was a 4 hour wait in the Bali airport, whereupon I received a delicious flight and movie on the way to Singapore. Now, the connecting flight was with Emirates and WOW! These guys know how to fly, I got baked perch in a black olive sauce, mashed potatoes, some excellent wine, a hot towel and 5 hours later, breakfast! Tons of media to get through as well! Worth the 400$ difference made by my booking mistake? Not at all! But it was tasty.
I touched down in Melbourne about three days ago, to a frigid 10 degrees as I can feel my tan running for the hills. It's quite a big city and I don't have my bearings whatsoever, but I know where the McDick's and 7-11 are from the hostel, so enough to survive. Job hunting is one of my least favorite things in the world, because when I apply to a place I know I would be good doing that task, but THEY don't know that. Perhaps a scented cover letter, or a fruitcake sent to the employer? Ughhhhhh.
To be honest, just for one second, lately I've been feeling a little disconnected from this whole 'see the world, be a nomad, get any old job' attitude, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's because I don't have any money and Australia costs about 3 x 10^8 more money than even the priciest places in SE Asia. As soon as a job gets under way, my attitude will be back to the appropriate cloud (#9), and I will meet some friends, get an aussie wife/green card, and figure out how to ride the trams. I know if I was sitting at home resuming my academic pursuits I would say, why the hell aren't I in Australia right now?
Life is a peach, meant to be picked by broke backpackers on Australian farms.
Cheers, mate.
No, I'm am not dead, in a coma or forgotten how to use the internet. In all honesty, not too much exciting has happened in about 2 weeks+. Now I know that sounds crazy being around the other side of the world, and you make your own adventure blah blah blah but here's a quick cap of my last week in Bali.
After returning from the Gili Islands, a night where I proceeded to stay up all night for the sunrise (among other things), I was absolutely knackered out. No worries, says I, as I can nap on the boat ride back. False. There were literally times when I thought the bottom of the hull was going to crack in half off some of these waves. Other than not being able to nap, I found the 4 feet of air pretty exciting. Unfortunately there were a few passengers that didn't share these sentiments, and ended up puking in complimentary paper bags. It was pretty hideous, people retching like they were on the verge of death while everyone around him or her pretends nothing is happening. After getting off the boat, I made my way back to Kuta beach where I rented a surfboard and DVD player and did absolutely NOTHING for one whole week. It was by the far the loneliest, cheapest, soberest, cozy time I have had during this vacation, although I started to forget how to talk to humans and socialize.
The reason for this hermit-esque behaviour was the dwindling funds and overall fatigue from being a deadly party animal for 3 months straight. In a way, it was really nice just to hang out by myself, go over some things in my brain and watch 25 DVDs (i counted at the end). Also I went from a F- surfer to about D+. So there's that.
The last week in Bali was also a bit of a waiting game, as I put in the application for my Australian work visa on a friday, and didn't hear a peep from this certain company until wednesday. (do YOU want to go to Australia!?? Only 2 days processing, call us NOW!!!) So, near the end of my stint on this lovely, touristed island I prepared my flights into Australia, where I have made one of the biggest blunders of the vacation, which is saying a lot read: cracked head, crashed motorbike, smashed toe, budgeting etc
Follow me on this. There is the island Bali, which is in the country of Indonesia. Bali has an airport, a fairly prominent and busy one called Denpasar (code:DPS). Indonesia, the previosuly mentioned country, also has an island called Borneo, and on this island there is a town called Balikpapan, which also has an airport, albeit a much smaller and less used one (code:BPN). In all my wisdom I typed in 'Bali' for the departing flight, quickly selected the first airport that popped up and proceeded with the booking. Of course, when you book from a small, no name airport compared to a fairly moderate sized one, the price jumps astronomically. Picture flying to LA from Fredericton, instead of flying out of Montreal. Same same. So a flight that could have cost 350$ ending up being 730$ from one, tiny, idiotic, mentally challenged, ridiculous typo. Lesson learned? I hope so.
After sorting that out there was a 4 hour wait in the Bali airport, whereupon I received a delicious flight and movie on the way to Singapore. Now, the connecting flight was with Emirates and WOW! These guys know how to fly, I got baked perch in a black olive sauce, mashed potatoes, some excellent wine, a hot towel and 5 hours later, breakfast! Tons of media to get through as well! Worth the 400$ difference made by my booking mistake? Not at all! But it was tasty.
I touched down in Melbourne about three days ago, to a frigid 10 degrees as I can feel my tan running for the hills. It's quite a big city and I don't have my bearings whatsoever, but I know where the McDick's and 7-11 are from the hostel, so enough to survive. Job hunting is one of my least favorite things in the world, because when I apply to a place I know I would be good doing that task, but THEY don't know that. Perhaps a scented cover letter, or a fruitcake sent to the employer? Ughhhhhh.
To be honest, just for one second, lately I've been feeling a little disconnected from this whole 'see the world, be a nomad, get any old job' attitude, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's because I don't have any money and Australia costs about 3 x 10^8 more money than even the priciest places in SE Asia. As soon as a job gets under way, my attitude will be back to the appropriate cloud (#9), and I will meet some friends, get an aussie wife/green card, and figure out how to ride the trams. I know if I was sitting at home resuming my academic pursuits I would say, why the hell aren't I in Australia right now?
Life is a peach, meant to be picked by broke backpackers on Australian farms.
Cheers, mate.
Monday, July 19, 2010
And the days go by....
I must make this quick as I'm on a deserted island and the internet rates are astronomic!...(deserted?)
After bangkok, I caught the express shuttle to the BKK airport for 130 bhat...read: 1050 my first afternoon in bangkok! My goodness the things I have learned. The flight went smoothly, although my backpack was 2 kilos over AirAsia's limit, so for a few frightening hours I was separated from my long time friend, the backpack. Although I did receive it back on Bali with full contents and structural integrity, the already peeling Canadian flag decal was gone.
Was this some sort cosmic sign highlighting my ex patriotism? or perhaps just careless handling/pasting of the decal. Either way, no longer do people realize my home country from 100 meters away bursting into 'CANADAAAAA! Vancouver or Toronto?!'....'neither bro, but close' i would reply. I will take it as a sign as my separation from all the things I hold dear from back home including, but not limited to:
Driving a car
Tim Hortons
My friends
Dolan's Pub
Keiths Beer
Free Internet
Having an income
Back to current events though! There is a certain vision I have of the next destinations, a daguerreotype in my mind if you will, and sometimes that vision is exceeded, and sometimes it is let down. Bali has been a looming fascination of my mine since day one, not only as the last stop on my adventure but from the numerous personal accounts I receive from fellow travellers.
I must say, and this is very pre-mature (that's what she said), I was let down. I was told to go to a beach called 'Uluwatu', good surf, lively, cheap. After paying the 14$ to get down there, I quickly realized that the surf was impossible but for the most X-treme australian bros, there was not much going on other than surfboard shops, and no accommodation. Disappointed but not dejected, I was picked up by a lovely indonesian couple on their 'second honeymoon' They drove me to the main beach, called Kuta, where I hit the pavement looking for anything costing less than 12$. Failing that, I booked a grungy room for that price, and set my feet towards the town. I have seen and breathed touristy, but this certain beach takes the cake.
'Masssssage?'
'Please buy somtingggg'
'Girl, man?, you want girl?'
'You want shirt boss? cheap cheap?'
'Come in look, I have guns!'
'Marijuana man? good price for you'
'Surf lesson boss? Come on, come on!'
etc etc etc
Don't let me bore you with my over-touristed whining, but you get the drift. In fairness, Kuta is the worst of the worst if you come to Bali, and if I can I will get on a scooter (the deadly scooter!) and check out the rest of the island. Apparently there are monkeys in the center of the island that will scratch you and steal your shit, so that sounds like something I would really be interested in. I did get to surf yesterday morning, and it was pretty fantastic. 'Bra, i was getting like 6 foot left handers, but it was tight because the righters were crushing my jam!'...or something like that. Kuta beach mostly entailed me eating pringles and buying new release DVDs for a dollar, not super exciting, but you must understand my bank account and brain account are both completely overdrawn at the moment.
Thus leading to the current island, gili T! I had heard few things about this particular stomping ground, but after 4 hours here is my take. It is extremely refreshing that motorized vehicles are outlawed, everything being drawn by horse and carriage or plain old bicycle. Things are mentally expensive, almost parallel with back home. (Imagine paying 6 dollars for a grando burrito on the beach, outrageous!) So my time here is short, but tomorrow entails some crystal water snorkeling, some sea side snoozing/reading, and perhaps try to make friends. I have mostly tried to cut alcohol out of my diet due to monetary restrictions, which tend to make for some quieter nights. This is not a problem because I can almost hear my sanity returning!
Currently there is an Australian work visa in the process, so after this tiny hole in the wall island, I will head back to Bali, onto the Malaysian airport and into Melbourne to start another adventure! Where do you find time to further your 'real life' Josh? It doesn't get much more real than this, bro. One love!
josh
After bangkok, I caught the express shuttle to the BKK airport for 130 bhat...read: 1050 my first afternoon in bangkok! My goodness the things I have learned. The flight went smoothly, although my backpack was 2 kilos over AirAsia's limit, so for a few frightening hours I was separated from my long time friend, the backpack. Although I did receive it back on Bali with full contents and structural integrity, the already peeling Canadian flag decal was gone.
Was this some sort cosmic sign highlighting my ex patriotism? or perhaps just careless handling/pasting of the decal. Either way, no longer do people realize my home country from 100 meters away bursting into 'CANADAAAAA! Vancouver or Toronto?!'....'neither bro, but close' i would reply. I will take it as a sign as my separation from all the things I hold dear from back home including, but not limited to:
Driving a car
Tim Hortons
My friends
Dolan's Pub
Keiths Beer
Free Internet
Having an income
Back to current events though! There is a certain vision I have of the next destinations, a daguerreotype in my mind if you will, and sometimes that vision is exceeded, and sometimes it is let down. Bali has been a looming fascination of my mine since day one, not only as the last stop on my adventure but from the numerous personal accounts I receive from fellow travellers.
I must say, and this is very pre-mature (that's what she said), I was let down. I was told to go to a beach called 'Uluwatu', good surf, lively, cheap. After paying the 14$ to get down there, I quickly realized that the surf was impossible but for the most X-treme australian bros, there was not much going on other than surfboard shops, and no accommodation. Disappointed but not dejected, I was picked up by a lovely indonesian couple on their 'second honeymoon' They drove me to the main beach, called Kuta, where I hit the pavement looking for anything costing less than 12$. Failing that, I booked a grungy room for that price, and set my feet towards the town. I have seen and breathed touristy, but this certain beach takes the cake.
'Masssssage?'
'Please buy somtingggg'
'Girl, man?, you want girl?'
'You want shirt boss? cheap cheap?'
'Come in look, I have guns!'
'Marijuana man? good price for you'
'Surf lesson boss? Come on, come on!'
etc etc etc
Don't let me bore you with my over-touristed whining, but you get the drift. In fairness, Kuta is the worst of the worst if you come to Bali, and if I can I will get on a scooter (the deadly scooter!) and check out the rest of the island. Apparently there are monkeys in the center of the island that will scratch you and steal your shit, so that sounds like something I would really be interested in. I did get to surf yesterday morning, and it was pretty fantastic. 'Bra, i was getting like 6 foot left handers, but it was tight because the righters were crushing my jam!'...or something like that. Kuta beach mostly entailed me eating pringles and buying new release DVDs for a dollar, not super exciting, but you must understand my bank account and brain account are both completely overdrawn at the moment.
Thus leading to the current island, gili T! I had heard few things about this particular stomping ground, but after 4 hours here is my take. It is extremely refreshing that motorized vehicles are outlawed, everything being drawn by horse and carriage or plain old bicycle. Things are mentally expensive, almost parallel with back home. (Imagine paying 6 dollars for a grando burrito on the beach, outrageous!) So my time here is short, but tomorrow entails some crystal water snorkeling, some sea side snoozing/reading, and perhaps try to make friends. I have mostly tried to cut alcohol out of my diet due to monetary restrictions, which tend to make for some quieter nights. This is not a problem because I can almost hear my sanity returning!
Currently there is an Australian work visa in the process, so after this tiny hole in the wall island, I will head back to Bali, onto the Malaysian airport and into Melbourne to start another adventure! Where do you find time to further your 'real life' Josh? It doesn't get much more real than this, bro. One love!
josh
Thursday, July 8, 2010
I-lands
YO!
It feels like a really long time since I dusted off the keyboard and gave some updates, and after reading the last post I feel like I didn't leave on a very high note.
My head healed up nicely, although the stitches are still in there (you could say I've grown quite attached to them). There is some god somewhere though that finds it neccessary to inflict a new and painful wound on me every week...the Deity of carelessness perhaps. More on this later.
After the first day in Siem Reap we made two whole hearted attempts to get to Angkor Wat and it's surrounding temples, both falling through due to bad tuks tuks, bad waking up skills and massive hangovers (surprised ya?) Siem Reap turned out to be a wonderful little town, having a good mix of cultural attractions and touristy night life and restaurants. For some reason I found it necessary to eat Mexican food 4 nights in a row, which I have narrowed down as my favorite genre of meal (perhaps mexico after this?) Let me give two descriptions of the Angkor Wat. One how a person who was really interested would say and one how well.....ya.
1) As we rose with the dawn, anticipation tingled through us we prepared to watch the sun rise over the '8th wonder of the world' A short taxi ride took us to the main gate where we payed a paltry 20$ to see one of the most amazing historic and architectural pieces of human ingenuity. As we sat on the open expanse of field waiting for the sun rise, droves of eager tourists followed suite. There was a hushed silence as the morning sun crested the main spires of the temples, presenting a real life post card that was only made for you, and you alone. We spent hours combing through the old wats, admiring the intricate carvings and sprawling array of temples, never letting the shutter on the camera close once. The pictures will always be there, but the feeling of walking down thousands of years history cannot be recreated by any photo album.
2) Rolling out of bed at 4:30am with a dry mouth, still mostly asleep and with no ambition whatsoever we grumpily crawled into the tuk tuk for a solid 5$, where we roll up to a gate that's demanding 20$ to see the temples. So, the sun isn't even up yet and the daily budget has been spent. Sick. We wait in a big courtyard while starry eyed tourists get there foolishly large zoom lenses ready waiting for sunrise, allegedly the best time of day to check out this dusty old hunk of rocks. 35 minutes later we realized the sun had come up, but the cloud cover was thick so we just didn't notice. Perfect! We wander around as the heats gets ever more unbearable, until 2 hours in we look at each other and say...let's get OUT OF HERE!. A few more touristy booths where I bought an extremely homosexual looking hemp man-satchel and a beer, and that was the end of Angkor WHAT THE HELL?
It's not to say the Angkor Wat wasn't impressive, because it definitely was, I just think that on this trip I have enjoyed the 'doing' and 'socializing' aspect much more than the sight seeing...it's hot, you get absolutely wiped out after a few hours, and they begin to all look the same. A few photos and maybe a quick chat about how 'TOTALLY AWESOME!' it is and I was good to go. Call me a poor tourist but honesty is key is any blog.
After Siem Reap, and a goodbye to my favorite mexican restaurant, we took an easy bus ride to Bangkok where I had to say a weepy farewell to Nick, who I had been traveling with for over a month! Friends will be made, partied with and split, but not forgotten. As he went back to London for a somewhat normal return to life, I turned around and walked back down khao san road. Now, the first time I came to Bangkok almost 3 months ago, bright eyed and full of wonder I stopped to talk to all the touts, taxis, scammers, hookers, fortune tellers, shop keeps, pan handlers, rig-a-ma-rollers and pretty much anyone who asked for a minute of my time. With 3 months of traveling experience (including thefts, rip offs, problems, languages etc) I found myself a changed man in a 'same-same' city.
It's funny how such a short time can shift your attitude on so many things. My first night in thailand, with a full bank account and trust in peoples' honesty, I bought everything without a second thought, was led down an alley by a lady boy for a good 8 minutes while a politely told 'her' I wasn't interested, and just balked at the favorable exchange rate we westerners receive. Now, especially coming from Vietnam, I am fully grossed out at the prices, cringe at the staggering drunken fools who are so pleased with themselves for 'travelling' (to give you an idea, khao san has a ipod shop, macDonalds and Burger King all in a row), and miss the the honest smiles you get in some of the worse off countries. But hey, let me get off my high horse and say I really really really enjoyed my Whopper with cheese....I also got the chance to tell a lady boy to piss off, called a taxi driver 'crazy' for charging 10$ from across town and bought absolutely nothing. Call it jaded, broke or tired...possibly all three.
But to more current events! Two buses and one ferry later found me on Kho Phangan, the site of the infamous 'Full Moon Party'. Unfortunately I did not time it properly and had to miss out on the 7000+ people, drug and alcohol fueled extravaganza...a shame. But no worries! Looking to bank (literally $$$) on the success of that party, the island throws a 'Half Moon Party' twice a month. This one was thrown in the jungle, had about 1000 people and we mostly just sat around and talked about how drugs and alcohol are destroying the youth of today. It was really insightful, if not a little opposing as to what I thought it would be....as every English person I met likes to put it I'm 'taking the piss'. It was a massive party with full on body paint, three DJ's, overpriced buckets and a torrential downpour...I think I really enjoyed it but you would have to ask the people dodging my flailing arm dance.
Of course, no week on this trip would be regular if I didn't wound myself somehow...so here it is. After the party I felt like a really wasn't experiencing enough scenery for these beautiful islands, so I hop on my scooter with an excellently labeled map....(thumbs down emoticon)....and hit the trails. About half an hour in, I thump down a hard trodden road looking for a waterfall, only to come across some horrendous pot holes. Now you may say 'Josh, you made it down Vietnam on a motorcycle without a scratch! Surely these small sandy potholes were no problem for you?' They were, and don't call me Surely.
Breaking much to hard the sand grated between the tires and as the bike went skidding out from under me. I bounced along the gravel a couple times getting some fantastic road (if you can even call it a road) rash down my arm and leg. Once again fellow readers, I will live, luckily I have a solid stock of anti biotics left over from my head ordeal. What feels absolutely riveting though is climbing into this salt water with a leg that looks like the surface of Mars. The leg was the least of the crash though. The bike, in my opinion (which doesn't count for shit to any local, I've found), could have a 5 minute buff job a little paint touch up and been sorted out. Clearly that is not the way it works. Other than these crazy moon parties, the biggest business on Koh Phangan is renting scooters to tourists, letting them scratch them up a bit, then charging them for brand new parts...not local prices. White people prices. Think of it as reverse racism.
With a little uneasiness, I rolled the bike up to the rental hotel, thinking they were going to ring me for 50-75$ Ouch! That price range was obviously something from my dreams, as the grand total (after my pity discount) was 180$. Now why not just walk? Mostly because my passport was locked in the office, and thai people will beat the living hell out if things get too heated. Not my kind of party.
Anyways, bitter as I am about that....this too shall pass. I am currently sitting on one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen, learning the graceful art of SCUBA diving with four nights accommodation included. Brilliant coral, pools, people and food surround...The instructors are the most english blokes I have met yet, real good sort 'Arrigh brufva, now once you're in tha wa'er, make sure ya don' hol' yer feckin breff, or your lungs are gunna straigh' pop like, ya?'
I must say I am getting a little homesick as I see FB pictures pop up from the summer festivities, and I hope everyone back home (BC and NB bros) are sponging as much joy out of life as I am. And to people who aren't, your life is yours. Grab 1500$ and come down here for a month...I'm sure it'll be the smallest regret you ever have <----(Glass half empty sentence?)
Back to Bangkok for a quick stopover, then Indonesia until my dwindling resources run out. I am still on the fence about work there or Australia, perhaps one of those things you decide when you meet a cute Aussie girl...right mate?
The sun is shining, and I got a hot date with a chicken kabob and big beer. One love!
It feels like a really long time since I dusted off the keyboard and gave some updates, and after reading the last post I feel like I didn't leave on a very high note.
My head healed up nicely, although the stitches are still in there (you could say I've grown quite attached to them). There is some god somewhere though that finds it neccessary to inflict a new and painful wound on me every week...the Deity of carelessness perhaps. More on this later.
After the first day in Siem Reap we made two whole hearted attempts to get to Angkor Wat and it's surrounding temples, both falling through due to bad tuks tuks, bad waking up skills and massive hangovers (surprised ya?) Siem Reap turned out to be a wonderful little town, having a good mix of cultural attractions and touristy night life and restaurants. For some reason I found it necessary to eat Mexican food 4 nights in a row, which I have narrowed down as my favorite genre of meal (perhaps mexico after this?) Let me give two descriptions of the Angkor Wat. One how a person who was really interested would say and one how well.....ya.
1) As we rose with the dawn, anticipation tingled through us we prepared to watch the sun rise over the '8th wonder of the world' A short taxi ride took us to the main gate where we payed a paltry 20$ to see one of the most amazing historic and architectural pieces of human ingenuity. As we sat on the open expanse of field waiting for the sun rise, droves of eager tourists followed suite. There was a hushed silence as the morning sun crested the main spires of the temples, presenting a real life post card that was only made for you, and you alone. We spent hours combing through the old wats, admiring the intricate carvings and sprawling array of temples, never letting the shutter on the camera close once. The pictures will always be there, but the feeling of walking down thousands of years history cannot be recreated by any photo album.
2) Rolling out of bed at 4:30am with a dry mouth, still mostly asleep and with no ambition whatsoever we grumpily crawled into the tuk tuk for a solid 5$, where we roll up to a gate that's demanding 20$ to see the temples. So, the sun isn't even up yet and the daily budget has been spent. Sick. We wait in a big courtyard while starry eyed tourists get there foolishly large zoom lenses ready waiting for sunrise, allegedly the best time of day to check out this dusty old hunk of rocks. 35 minutes later we realized the sun had come up, but the cloud cover was thick so we just didn't notice. Perfect! We wander around as the heats gets ever more unbearable, until 2 hours in we look at each other and say...let's get OUT OF HERE!. A few more touristy booths where I bought an extremely homosexual looking hemp man-satchel and a beer, and that was the end of Angkor WHAT THE HELL?
It's not to say the Angkor Wat wasn't impressive, because it definitely was, I just think that on this trip I have enjoyed the 'doing' and 'socializing' aspect much more than the sight seeing...it's hot, you get absolutely wiped out after a few hours, and they begin to all look the same. A few photos and maybe a quick chat about how 'TOTALLY AWESOME!' it is and I was good to go. Call me a poor tourist but honesty is key is any blog.
After Siem Reap, and a goodbye to my favorite mexican restaurant, we took an easy bus ride to Bangkok where I had to say a weepy farewell to Nick, who I had been traveling with for over a month! Friends will be made, partied with and split, but not forgotten. As he went back to London for a somewhat normal return to life, I turned around and walked back down khao san road. Now, the first time I came to Bangkok almost 3 months ago, bright eyed and full of wonder I stopped to talk to all the touts, taxis, scammers, hookers, fortune tellers, shop keeps, pan handlers, rig-a-ma-rollers and pretty much anyone who asked for a minute of my time. With 3 months of traveling experience (including thefts, rip offs, problems, languages etc) I found myself a changed man in a 'same-same' city.
It's funny how such a short time can shift your attitude on so many things. My first night in thailand, with a full bank account and trust in peoples' honesty, I bought everything without a second thought, was led down an alley by a lady boy for a good 8 minutes while a politely told 'her' I wasn't interested, and just balked at the favorable exchange rate we westerners receive. Now, especially coming from Vietnam, I am fully grossed out at the prices, cringe at the staggering drunken fools who are so pleased with themselves for 'travelling' (to give you an idea, khao san has a ipod shop, macDonalds and Burger King all in a row), and miss the the honest smiles you get in some of the worse off countries. But hey, let me get off my high horse and say I really really really enjoyed my Whopper with cheese....I also got the chance to tell a lady boy to piss off, called a taxi driver 'crazy' for charging 10$ from across town and bought absolutely nothing. Call it jaded, broke or tired...possibly all three.
But to more current events! Two buses and one ferry later found me on Kho Phangan, the site of the infamous 'Full Moon Party'. Unfortunately I did not time it properly and had to miss out on the 7000+ people, drug and alcohol fueled extravaganza...a shame. But no worries! Looking to bank (literally $$$) on the success of that party, the island throws a 'Half Moon Party' twice a month. This one was thrown in the jungle, had about 1000 people and we mostly just sat around and talked about how drugs and alcohol are destroying the youth of today. It was really insightful, if not a little opposing as to what I thought it would be....as every English person I met likes to put it I'm 'taking the piss'. It was a massive party with full on body paint, three DJ's, overpriced buckets and a torrential downpour...I think I really enjoyed it but you would have to ask the people dodging my flailing arm dance.
Of course, no week on this trip would be regular if I didn't wound myself somehow...so here it is. After the party I felt like a really wasn't experiencing enough scenery for these beautiful islands, so I hop on my scooter with an excellently labeled map....(thumbs down emoticon)....and hit the trails. About half an hour in, I thump down a hard trodden road looking for a waterfall, only to come across some horrendous pot holes. Now you may say 'Josh, you made it down Vietnam on a motorcycle without a scratch! Surely these small sandy potholes were no problem for you?' They were, and don't call me Surely.
Breaking much to hard the sand grated between the tires and as the bike went skidding out from under me. I bounced along the gravel a couple times getting some fantastic road (if you can even call it a road) rash down my arm and leg. Once again fellow readers, I will live, luckily I have a solid stock of anti biotics left over from my head ordeal. What feels absolutely riveting though is climbing into this salt water with a leg that looks like the surface of Mars. The leg was the least of the crash though. The bike, in my opinion (which doesn't count for shit to any local, I've found), could have a 5 minute buff job a little paint touch up and been sorted out. Clearly that is not the way it works. Other than these crazy moon parties, the biggest business on Koh Phangan is renting scooters to tourists, letting them scratch them up a bit, then charging them for brand new parts...not local prices. White people prices. Think of it as reverse racism.
With a little uneasiness, I rolled the bike up to the rental hotel, thinking they were going to ring me for 50-75$ Ouch! That price range was obviously something from my dreams, as the grand total (after my pity discount) was 180$. Now why not just walk? Mostly because my passport was locked in the office, and thai people will beat the living hell out if things get too heated. Not my kind of party.
Anyways, bitter as I am about that....this too shall pass. I am currently sitting on one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen, learning the graceful art of SCUBA diving with four nights accommodation included. Brilliant coral, pools, people and food surround...The instructors are the most english blokes I have met yet, real good sort 'Arrigh brufva, now once you're in tha wa'er, make sure ya don' hol' yer feckin breff, or your lungs are gunna straigh' pop like, ya?'
I must say I am getting a little homesick as I see FB pictures pop up from the summer festivities, and I hope everyone back home (BC and NB bros) are sponging as much joy out of life as I am. And to people who aren't, your life is yours. Grab 1500$ and come down here for a month...I'm sure it'll be the smallest regret you ever have <----(Glass half empty sentence?)
Back to Bangkok for a quick stopover, then Indonesia until my dwindling resources run out. I am still on the fence about work there or Australia, perhaps one of those things you decide when you meet a cute Aussie girl...right mate?
The sun is shining, and I got a hot date with a chicken kabob and big beer. One love!
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